As part of the on-going effort to raise awareness of the dangers of off-target spraying, farmers are being urged to remain vigilant and collaborate with apiarists so everyone can ‘Bee aware’ of signs of bee hives in their regions.

Before Christmas, some growers were made aware of possible beehives in the Thallon and St George areas, raising the need for careful management and collaboration, particularly around any spraying.

Cotton Australia strongly encourages all growers and consultants to actively inspect their crops for foraging bees and nearby locations for beehives before undertaking any spraying activities. This vigilance is critical to avoiding unintended impacts on local bee hives and ensuring responsible pesticide use.

One of the best ways to identify hive locations is BeeConnected, the platform that provides critical information about mapped hives and is especially important for those planning to use any products like neonicotinoids or Fipronil.

While enhancements to Satacrop were made to support hive mapping by beekeepers, adoption has been limited, and apiarist engagement with BeeConnected remains below expectations. Despite this, we encourage all growers to ensure their crops are logged on Satacrop to support accurate and comprehensive mapping efforts.

If you experience any difficulties accessing or using BeeConnected or SataCrop, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Cotton Australia Regional Manager for assistance. Additionally, we ask that all consultants in your networks be reminded of the importance of this tool. Your engagement is essential to protecting both our cotton crops, products we rely upon for crop management and the vital role beekeeping plays in our ecosystem.

We appreciate your efforts in supporting this initiative and maintaining a responsible approach to crop management